Finis coronat opus (the end crowns the work)
“I fear now to be left in the midst of contest and crisis in all things, I shall bear it by the grace of God …”
Earl of Oxford 4th Danvers
Escheat Letter (1604)
It was episodic. It was “continuity” versus “change”. Finally, 31st January 2026 came, and the 211,000 or so delegates had psyched themselves for an elephantine combat.
It all started when the Presidential Election Committee per Article 13 (1) (ii) of the NPP Constitution announced that the Presidential primaries would be held before the electoral, areas to Regional level elections. Nobody would listen to anybody. The decision had been taken; top-to-bottom. Untraditional.
Then, the prophets, seers, fortune-tellers, revelators (95% of them fake according to Pastor Otabil) seized the opportunity to stage their own prophecies, and up-stage others. There were five contestants: Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Kennedy Akompreko Agyapong, Bryan Acheampong, Dr Adutwum, Kwabena Agyapong.
The focus was on the first two. Some prophets said God had spoken to them; others had seen God fiili-fiili and the Almighty had instructed them… Mahamudu Bawumia will win… humble, respectful, knowledgeable, he had been there before… and the whole of Ghana know him.
He was the Establishment candidate, and with him, those in NPP office now would not have to fear — he won’t sack anybody. God had spoken to others… Ken Agyapong will win… the no-nonsense man who has popularised the expression ‘show-down’, he who can use the” f… “word for President Mahama, he who cannot see why he has joined a party of fools nitwits; he who does not mention the smelly orifices of antagonistic females.
To the extent that Adwoa Saa-fo Ken’s erstwhile consort for whose E-Levy vote a private jet costing the nation GH₵ 1m was allegedly spent, would switch camp and say: “Ken who insults women… imagine Ken as President and (given the work I have done) my CV goes before him… my future career is at stake (despite the two children I have with him)… vote for Bawumia…”
The pastors, prophets would prophesy, not preach the word of God. El Bernard would prophesy: “Bawumia cannot win… he cannot lead. I always reveal what God has told me… bank on Ken.”
Nana Boadie Obodade would throw tantrums from Asuom and bark at all the 5 NPP Presidential hopefuls as “sankwas”. Abronye who inherited 11 MPs in his Bono Region and in his time as NPP Chairman would lose all save one MP would condemn Ken Agyapong openly for not being grateful to Akufo-Addo / Bawumia government for the many contracts he had received inflated the cost … criticises Ken for calling Bawumia a liar: “The elephant in the bush has more sense than Kennedy”.
Rev. Isaac Owusu-Bempah would condemn Bawumia: “Dr Bawumia wants to become President? We shall see…” We recall: “when the fundamentals are weak, the exchange rate will expose you”, a la Bawumia.
Ken will disregard all the taunts and because he used the eponymous KENnected to get connected with the delegates, despite abusive calling, Ken “the deputy Bonsam” who “born dog”? Ken would repeat
Asiedu Nketia, NDC Chairman would charge: “Dr Bawumia said he wanted the ‘steering wheel’; NDC would give him the steer… and keep the car… “Momfa steer no mma me…” Okatakyie Afrifa-Mensah would charge on Ernest Owusu Bempah, “… For that guy he worked for JJ Rawlings and Nana Konadu.
At the conference, prior to the voting, the body language of the Presidential aspirants could reveal their inner thinking. There appeared to be no love exchange between Dr Bawumia and Kennedy. All the aspirants, except Ken would bow to the elders before taking their seats. Demeanour. People were watching… Later, Bryan Acheampong would reveal what happened: “… it was opportune that I was made to sit between Dr Bawumia and Kennedy… otherwise …” the threat of “showdown” to neutralise the atmosphere.
The Bawumia Team allegedly had prepared the “Ten Sins” of each of the contestants, save Bawumia. Bawumia has run the show as Vice President for eight (8) years; the Voters Register had maintained the same delegates … and the delegates and officials of NPP had to vote for Bawumia to maintain their positions. Why not?
The votes garnered by Dr. Bawumia was 110,643 votes (56.48%); Kennedy Agyapong comes second with 46,554 votes (23.76%); Bryan Acheampong third with 36,303 votes (18.53%); also ran Yaw Osei Adutwum with 1,999 votes (1.02%) and mmoborowa Kwabena Adjei Agyapong with 402 votes (0.21%).
The speeches … why was Akufo-Addo so elated? And why was he laughing so hilariously? Taunting the losers? Had he won anything? No wonder; when Bawumia and his delegation visited Akufo-Addo, we “overheard” Bawumia saying; “I will need your help”; or perhaps we didn’t hear right?
Kudos to the Police. The man to watch now is Bryan Acheampong. His third-place position makes Bryan Acheampong, the MP for Abetifi, a force to reckon with in NPP matters.
Bryan swerved Mussa Dankwah’s projection of 13% by getting 18%. In the Volta Region, for example, he won with 5,234 votes against Dr Bawumia’s 4,093 votes; and Keta Constituency gave him 269 votes as against Bawumia’s 241. Immediately after the polls, Bryan conceded defeat and congratulated Dr Bawumia, pledging his “full support” for the winner ahead of 2028.
Just like Mussa Dankwah, Prophet Nigel Gaisie also put his credibility on the line, predicting a win for Bawumia. He claimed that Ken was originally the person to win the primaries but the lamentations of some prayerful men had “reached God”, hence the result? As for the result from Afenyo-Markin’s Effutu Constituency (Ken 644; Bawumia: 246), the less said about it the better.
You may recall Kwabena Owusu (Sir John’s) “Fear Delegates”, not ghosts” after losing the 2014 NPP election for General Secretary to Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie (Sir John). The man is gone, so let us forget the loss of GH₵250,000 legal suit to Asiedu Nketia who hoped to use the money to build a house and name it; “Kwasea bi nti” (because of some foolishman). You could mock Prof Smart Sarpong of Kumasi Technical University for his failed projections (alluding to a win for Bawumia in the 2024 elections).
Abronye says from his Ohia TV programme, that he intends to form the Poor People’s Party to challenge the rich people in NPP (indirect reference to “showdown” man, Kennedy Agyapong). He, Abronye repeats that, despite the urge for party unity, his ‘reconciliation with fellow aspirant, Kennedy Agyapong is unattainable’. Attah Amponsah intones: “NPP will fall down because of this boy; he needs to be tamed.” Ken says at KSMshow he has been betrayed by people he had helped… he cannot forgive them…
El Bernard has, after the Bawumia win, apologised to Ghanaians for a “wrong” prophecy: “I was wrong and deeply sorry… I accept my mistake… Those KENnected should start jubulating.
Meanwhile, Dr Bawumia is preaching unity: “Have confidence in me… we will meet NDC mano-a-mano… Opanin Agyekum: “Sotoro mmienu ye ani-han-hanee… the losing contestants have over-spent. There is the need for “healing” words.
K.T. Hammond, once a brother to Kennedy Agyapong bitterly talks about the rift between him and Ken Agyapong Kwabena Agyapong would, on Asaase Radio, to say: “I have to check myself, but seek to correct a falsehood because his (Kennedy Agyapong’s) theatrics are too much…” NDC is waiting; so is Alan Kyerematen…
We say with William Wordsworth in Tintern Abbey, “… neither evil tongues, Rash judgments, nor the sneers of selfish men, nor greetings where no kindness is, nor all the dreary intercourse of daily life, shall e’er prevail against us, or disturb Our cheerful faith, that all which we behold is full of blessing.”, and we go to sleep soundly.
Africanus Article
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